Arsenal player ratings: Alexis Sanchez and Per Mertesacker shine in FA Cup Final

CB Per Mertesacker 8.0

Mertesacker was fantastic in defense as he was able to easily deal with Benteke and anybody else who tried to test him. He’s always favored in aerial battles, even against striker who also excels in the air, thanks to his positioning in combination with his height which makes him a difficult player to beat in the box. Mertesacker didn’t make any mistakes yesterday, and he was always one to quickly snuff out any danger that came his way.

He didn’t have to make any real tackles on the ground, but he was there as a calming influence and never looked threatened by the service to Benteke. Even though his goal didn’t exactly come off of his head, he did well to direct Santi Cazorla’s corner into a place where Shay Given could only watch it roll into the back of the net.

Next: Another strong performance at the back